C954 Please!
The Inner Demon Mitts, the Shadowspawn Sidla, and the Primal Demon Adler were all revered as Demon Gods!
Among the ranks of the Star-Spawned Terrors, the mightiest was the Demon God, equivalent to the Human Race's Primordial Spirit and the Dark Deity of the Evilkind.
The Demon Gods of the subsequent tier possessed strength comparable to the cultivators in the Unbound Realm.
The trio of Demon Gods had banded together to confront Tang Zheng, leaving him with no chance of victory!
Furthermore, Tang Zheng from Churchsor Hill was merely in the early stages of the Unbound Realm, and his advanced age meant that his cultivation would likely progress no further.
Not every cultivator in the Unbound Realm is destined to reach the Primordial Spirit level. In fact, most, like Tang Zheng, have little hope of advancing further in their lifetime.
Tang Zheng himself was aware that he could, at best, advance a small step further into the middle period of the Unbound Realm.
He harbored no illusions of ever reaching the late period.
Facing off against three Demon Gods, including the formidable Sidla of the Shadowspawn who aspired to ascend to the ranks of the Great Demon Gods within a millennium, Tang Zheng was well aware of the dire odds.
"Five hundred years ago, in a distant domain under my care, I was fortunate to have Mr. Tang's protection. Upon your departure, the land was scorched, and three thousand of my kinsmen were reduced to ashes," recounted Quero of the Silverscale Tribe as he ascended to the heavens, his body shimmering with scales that reflected numerous lakes.
"I've longed to pay my respects to Mr. Tang, but your residence in the vast Everlands has delayed our meeting. Today, upon finally seeing you, I am in awe of your presence and shall dispense with formalities."
Scales, each imbued with a drop of his lifeblood, detached from Quero's body, expanding into gleaming silver blades sharp enough to effortlessly rend starships and slice through mountains.
With a rush of air, dozens of these formidable blades hurtled towards Tang Zheng's Flame Deity Divine Visage.
At the Soulforge Pool, Yu Yuan faced Tang Zheng, observing the three Demon Gods and Quero of the Silverscale Tribe as they united in their relentless assault, his expression one of intense focus.
For reasons unknown, as he gazed upon the massive silver blade, he could see Quero's lifeblood within it, transformed into a shimmering silver lake, brimming with majestic vital energy.
From that lifeblood lake, he could sense the delicate release of Quero's bloodline.
He even grasped the intricacies of blood magic, triggered by the intertwining bloodline chains.
"Could it be that the drop of lifeblood Quero gifted me was refined by my Altar of Rebirth and integrated into my being?"
Upon further reflection, he sensed that something was amiss.
Mitts of the inner demon clan had employed her Mind Magic to conjure thousands of witches within the depths of Tang Zheng's Mindscape, consuming his pure soul seed, eroding his memories, and severing the link between his soul and his arcane abilities. Remarkably, Yu Yuan could feel it all.
Sidla of the Shadowspawn, with his nine-headed snake and resplendent crowns, unleashed powers that could influence and constrain Tang Zheng in myriad ways, all of which Yu Yuan could perceive with clarity.
Every time Adler of the Primal Demon Clan swung his golden halberd, Yu Yuan had an inkling of where the next strike would land on Tang Zheng.
Was this a case of acute perception? Or foresight?
Yu Yuan stroked his chin, his eyes reflecting profound depths. He sensed a mysterious transformation within himself, granting him newfound insights and cognizance into the powers, the intricate bloodline mysteries of the Otherkin, and the nefarious arts of the Sky Fiend.
"Was this metamorphosis a result of the residual power from the dragon slayer at the Dragon Slaying Stage? Or is it a natural awakening from my breakthrough into the Spirit Walk realm?"
He was filled with confusion, unable to unravel the mystery.
"If this formation doesn't hold, Tang Zheng will soon perish."
The portly Zhou You, with a flick of his whisk, spoke with concern, "It's clear that the onslaught from beyond the forbidden area will be as fierce as a tempest. Yu Yuan, you needn't concern yourself with Tang Zheng's fate. Your duty is to safeguard the formation!"
With these words, Xi Quan and the other non-combatant experts realized the gravity of what was to come.
To rescue Tang Zheng, the representatives from the three upper sects, the Devil Palace, and Shadow's Keep would spare no effort, holding nothing back!
Could the formation truly withstand such an assault?
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The barrier facing the Crimson Sun Empire suddenly showed a significant indentation, and the intricate and mysterious Circles of Damnation, which harbored hundreds of variations, burst and vanished. Seven radiant sigils descended in succession, striking with the weight of a divine mountain, as if the heavens and earth themselves were battering the barrier!
The Mark of the Celestials ceased its transformations into grand palaces, instead revealing its true form and aspect. Guided by Cao Jiaze's focused will, it emitted a brilliance so intense that even cultivators of the Unbound Realm could not sustain their gaze upon it for long. The assault on the formation had officially begun!
All members of the Ebon Star had already withdrawn, leaving the full might of the seven Marks of the Celestials to be revealed in their awe-inspiring power. When the Mark of the Celestials, reduced a millionfold to its normal size, struck the barrier, it unleashed countless rays of light that obliterated the glyphs on the surface of the Soulforge Matrix.
As the old glyphs and Circles of Damnation were destroyed, new ones were hastily replenished, ensuring the formation's integrity. Yu Yuan, the master of the formation, abruptly rose from his seated position.
With a whoosh, the Soulforge Pool drifted upwards and in an instant, reached the site where the seven Marks of the Celestials were descending, slipping into the barrier. Dark Soul Power gushed forth from beneath the pool, transforming into chains of enigmatic black runes that poured like a river into the dented areas created by the Marks of the Celestials.
Upon the arrival of the black Soul Power, the dented regions instantly smoothed out, and a multitude of glyph arrays reemerged.
"Yu Yuan!"
Many cultivators from the continent of Euwrea recognized him as he maneuvered the Soulforge Pool into the barrier. Van Heqing, Ji Ningshuang, Mo Baichuan, Cao Jiaze, and others displayed a variety of reactions. There were also many who were slightly less powerful, yet familiar with him, who murmured his name in hushed tones.
Weixian of Winter's Bite, who had recently achieved the Solar Spirit, had previously encountered Yu Yuan in Gavanas and had spent a considerable time tormenting Lin Hanyu under Yu Yuan's watchful eye. Now, the elation Weixian felt from his recent advancement vanished upon seeing Yu Yuan.
Jiang Xingwen of the Abyssal Dawn, once known for her gentle and virtuous demeanor, now bore a countenance of icy coldness, her eyes filled with a brooding darkness.
Ji Ningshuang let out a cold snort. "It really is him."
Van Heqing sighed softly, his voice tinged with regret. "What a shame."
From the moment Yu Yuan rejected the Golden Elephant God at the barrier, it became clear that he would never join the Sword Sect. Henceforth, they were destined to be sworn enemies.
The three upper sects, along with the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep, had offered Yu Yuan a choice. It was Yu Yuan himself who stubbornly chose this path.
And now, no one could change his course!
"Yu Yuan, we meet again." Cao Jiaze greeted with a bow from a distance, his fists cupped in respect. "I thank you for your hospitality back at the Terror Claws. Had you not been in the forbidden area, we might have become close friends. Now, all I can say is, out of respect, I will fully engage the formation that resonates with you."
Within the green-black barrier, Yu Yuan offered a slight smile and invited with brevity, "Please do."
"This kid is truly the epitome of arrogance!" A cultivator named Guang Hong from the Ebon Star, at the Unbound Stage, huffed from Cao Jiaze's left. "He dares to challenge the Soulforge Matrix. What gives him such confidence? The Sword Sect, Sunlit Order, Devil Palace, and Shadow's Keep haven't even launched their full assault yet."
"Master, he is indeed remarkable," Cao Jiaze asserted with a serious demeanor. "Moreover, the seven Marks of the Celestials we carry are the key to breaking the formation. The offensive efforts from the other factions pale in comparison to mine. He should be wary, for I am the true threat he must guard against."
Yu Yuan's arrogance was matched only by Cao Jiaze's own pride and self-assurance.
His statement was a bold echo of Yu Yuan's own demeanor.
"At the Sundering Isles, I drew my sword on your behalf. Today, it is because of you that I draw my sword again," Van Heqing declared with a light whistle. Sword light cascaded like rainbows toward the barrier where Yu Yuan stood.
Puff! Puff! Puff!
Dozens of small dots burst forth on the greenish-black energy shield before Yu Yuan's face.
Each dot represented the fierce thrust of a sword light beam, shattering the clustered glyphs.
Observing those points of light, Yu Yuan could sense Van Heqing's unwavering resolve to shatter this realm and the stars of the extraterrestrial Star River.
"When we were at the Sundering Isles, I was deeply appreciative of the elder's assistance. However, today, this formation will not yield to your blade."
